The UNICEFInnovation Fund is to provide seed finance to for-profit technology start-ups “that have the potential to benefit humanity” using blockchain technology. It will make $50-90k equity-free investments.

The Fund is seeking applications from start-ups registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries. An open source approach is required: applicants must have a working, open source prototype showing “promising results” or be willing to make their software and blockchain solution open source.

The funding is to be used for prototype testing and validation, and to get projects to a stage where the company has proof that the solution works. The initiatives must benefit children.

What kind of blockchain projects?

UNICEF is looking for companies working in the areas of:

smart contracts

analysing data

tokens

mining

It is also interested in other related areas. The Fund is also “interested in companies that use distributed ledger tech in new, groundbreaking, ways that are scalable, and globally applicable. If you are aligned with our general criteria, we want to hear from you.”

What UNICEF will offer

In addition to seed funding from UNICEF, the selected start-ups will receive technical assistance from the UNICEF Ventures team to help validate and improve their solutions. This includes access to a network of mentors who help startup teams develop their business model and strategy to grow their company and ultimately profit.

UNICEF Ventures already has a dedicated blockchain lead and computer science team hosting and sharing data platforms. It has access to corporate partnerships and use cases that selected blockchain start-ups could benefit from.

With UNICEF’s global reach it can also provide geographically localised advice and partnerships for the selected start-ups.

Chris Fabian of UNICEF’s Office of Innovation Ventures told Coindesk in November 2017: “I believe that there is a very near future where we will be using blockchain, the bitcoin blockchain maybe, other distributed ledgers, to do central operational tasks”.

About Howard Lake

Howard Lake is a digital fundraising entrepreneur. Publisher of UK Fundraising, the world's first web resource for professional fundraisers, since 1994. Trainer and consultant in digital fundraising. Founder of Fundraising Camp.

Get free email updates

Keep up to date with fundraising news, ideas and inspiration with a weekly or daily email. [Privacy]